What To Do After a Truck Accident in Georgia
After a truck accident in Georgia, contact emergency services, seek medical care, gather information from the scene if safe, exchange essential details, and notify your insurance carrier.
Do not discuss fault or give recorded statements to the trucking company’s insurer until you better understand your rights. Because commercial truck claims can involve unique kinds of evidence, quick preservation can be crucial. Call our truck accident attorneys in Peachtree Corners to discuss your case in a free consultation.
Get to Safety
Move out of the way of danger as soon as possible if you’re able to. This means getting out of the way of oncoming traffic, or any of the involved vehicles if it looks like there is leaking fuel or a potential fire that could occur.
Call 911
Call 911 right away to report the accident. A law enforcement officer should arrive on scene and take notes, speak with involved parties and witnesses, and create an accident report. Make sure you get a copy of this police report when it becomes available.
Get Medical Attention
If you’re offered emergency medical treatment on scene, accept it. Seek further treatment from the hospital or your doctor later on if needed. This is one of the biggest parts of your claims, and waiting too long to get help can bring arguments that your injuries weren’t that severe or didn’t occur in the crash.
Take Photos and Gather Evidence at the Scene
If you can, take pictures of the truck, all vehicles involved, their license plates, visible damage, trucking company branding, skid marks, debris, road conditions, and any injuries. Be thorough with locations and identifying details, like USDOT or carrier numbers. If witnesses are present, obtain their names and contact information.
Exchange Information With the Truck Driver
Get the driver’s full name, address, and phone number; their driver’s license details and insurance company; as well as the trucking company or carrier name, and tractor/trailer identification. Avoid arguments about cause or any statement that looks like an admission of responsibility.
Notify Your Insurance Company
Contact your insurance company and let them know you were involved in an accident. You don’t need to go into details yet, especially if you aren’t sure about the extent of the damages and injuries you’re experiencing.
Be Careful When the Trucking Company or Insurer Contacts You
You may be contacted by representatives from the trucking company or their insurance company. If they’re asking for recorded statements, access to all of your medical records, or offering a settlement, speak with a truck or car wreck lawyer in Peachtree Corners before agreeing to anything. You want to make sure that anything you say and do doesn’t hurt your case.
Preserve Trucking Company Evidence
Commercial truck accident cases often involve evidence that other accidents don’t. This may include electronic logging device (ELD) records, hours-of-service documentation, GPS and dispatch logs, dashcam and event data, truck inspection records, cargo/load information, and evidence regarding driver qualifications or substance testing.
Some of this evidence is controlled by the trucking company, and could be erased or overwritten in their normal course of business if they’re not told to hold onto it. Victims or their lawyers can send formal requests called preservation or spoliation letters to secure these records as soon as possible.
Avoid Posting About the Accident on Social Media
It’s not uncommon for insurance adjusters to look for social media posts of victims who were in accidents. Don’t post about the accident, and that includes updates and photos. It’s easier than you’d think for something you say or do online to get misconstrued.
Contact a Georgia Truck Accident Lawyer
If you’re dealing with serious injuries or damages, contact a Georgia truck accident lawyer right away. They can help you preserve evidence and determine what steps to take next. They’ll also calculate your losses so you don’t leave money on the table.
If you were injured in a Georgia truck accident and want to schedule a free case review, reach out to our team today at (404) 482-3330.
